"I like a guy." Holly Brooks said aloud in her
dorm as she walked in and her two roommates froze before bursting out
into laughter. "I'm serious."

"You?
Holly "Asexual" Brooks like a guy." Megan Stafford choked out
and Holly ran a hand through her fiery hair. "That's a good one."

"Yeah.
When did you come up with that joke?" Stephanie Hanes asked and
Holly glared at the blonde and brunette.

"I hate
the both of you." Holly told them before leaving the room.

That was
the last time she would ever tell them anything she decided as she
stormed off to the library. People moved out of her way when they
saw the mean look on her face. She found a table in library and
sighed. She really did like a guy.

Despite
showing an indifference to both sexes, she did like guys. She just
never admitted it to anyone, especially not her roommates who had
decided that she must be asexual. Her green eyes took in the library
visitors and they froze on someone who was actually outside sitting
against a tree.

His name
was Gregor MacLachlan and he was working on his doctorate degree. He
was also nearly ten years older than she was at twenty-nine. She had
seen him by that tree everyday and slowly began to watch him from the
library.

He was
beautiful with his dark brown hair and hazel eyes which contrasted
with each other nicely. He was tall, maybe six feet and four inches.
She had only heard him speak once but it was enough to make her
search for the owner. It was unbelievably deep, smooth and sexy like
him.

Even now,
as she watched him from the library, she felt homely. He would never
notice her. There were always beautiful blondes and brunettes around
him. He seemed to have an aversion to redheads like her.

"Like
what you see?" asked a voice across from her and she turned her
head away from the window.

Pietro
MacLachlan, Gregor's brother, sat across from her with a smile.
She studied his platinum blond hair and silver eyes before answering.
"Yes, I do like what I see in your brother."

"He likes
what he sees too." Pietro whispered, causing Holly to lean in. "He
wants to know if you'll go out with him."

"Why
couldn't he ask me himself?" she asked.

"Nerves."
Pietro lied and Holly nodded.

"Alright.
I'll go out on a date with him."

"Good.
He'll pick you up at your dorm tomorrow around seven for dinner."
Pietro said and he stood.

"How does
he know where I live?" she asked and Pietro smiled.

"I'm
dating your roommate." he said simply before walking away.

Holly
turned to look out the window only to find that Gregor was gone. She
sighed and forced herself to concentrate on her homework. She
finished nearly five hours later and went to the mess hall for
dinner. As she ate her Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes, she felt
eyes on her and looked up.

Stephanie
and Megan were staring at her.

"What?"
she demanded and Stephanie looked at Megan.

"Well,
Tyler Wells heard Ashley Monroe listening Delta Mountbatten who
overheard it from my boyfriend that you have a date with someone.
With a guy." Stephanie said.

Megan
nodded. "But no one knows his name." she told Holly.

"None of
your business." Holly replied and Stephanie put her hand
dramatically over her chest.

"Well I
never! We were just going to offer to help you get ready." Megan
said for Stephanie.

"Oh go
jump off a bridge." Holly exclaimed and a deep laugh came form
behind her.

"I knew
I'd like with you." Gregor said as he rolled his wheelchair next
to Holly who stared at him. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Of
course not." Holly replied, getting over her shock. "I'll see
you tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow."
Gregor repeated before rolling off as quickly as he came.

"You're
going out with a cripple?" Stephanie asked and Holly glared.
"What?"

"That's
your boyfriend's brother." Holly ground out.

"Really?"
Stephanie asked and she looked at Megan as Holly stood, taking her
plate and threw it away.

She walked
back to her dorm and ran into Pietro on the way. "Why didn't you
tell me?" she demanded.

"Would it
have made a difference?" Pietro shot back.

Holly
didn't answer.

"Well it
shouldn't." Pietro said looking at something behind her and she
turned in time to see Gregor leaving. "I have to go."

Holly,
feeling like shit, walked back to her room and flopped down on her
bed. She hugged her pillow and closed her eyes. If she really liked
him, the fact that he couldn't walk shouldn't have mattered. She
tried to get the look on his face when she first realized that he
couldn't walk out of her mind. But she couldn't.

She fell
asleep not knowing what to do to rectify he situation. When she woke
up the next morning, she went about her day as usual. However, it
would have been a normal day if Gregor had been at his tree but he
wasn't.

He wasn't
there the next day either. Or the next day. Even the day after that
he was missing in action.

Holly got
worried and went to Pietro's apartment. She knocked but Pietro
didn't answer, Gregor did. His eyes were red and his mouth looked
dry. He grunted at the sight of her and rolled back to hit bottle of
Jack Daniels.

"Are you
okay?" she asked and he laughed bitterly. "Gregor?"

"No. I'm
not okay Holly. I'm crippled and no one wants to date me because
of it. What about my fucking personality?" He took another swig.
"Tell me something Holly, if you hadn't have known until three
days ago when I would have showed up at your door would you have
still gone out with me?"

"No,"
she answered truthfully and he growled, taking another swig. "But I
would like to go out with you now."

"Don't
pity me."

"I'm
not."

"Sure
you're not! Why would someone as beautiful and talented as you
want to be with some old geezer in a wheelchair like me?" Gregor
demanded.

"You're
not old." Holly said. "And I've decided it doesn't matter
that you're paralyzed from the waist down. It doesn't so just
give me a chance."

"Like you
gave me one?"

She sucked
in a breath. "I deserved that."

"You're
damn right you did."

"Please,
just give me a chance." Holly said. "What have you got to lose?"

Gregor was
silent for a while before answering. "Nothing." He paused. "Fine,
seven tomorrow."

"Should I
pick you up here?" she asked and realized that she had made a
mistake when he tightened his grip on his bottle.

"I'm
the man, my penis still works so I'll pick you up. Understand?"
he asked icily and she nodded. "Good. Now leave me alone."

Holly left
and let out a rush of air as soon as she made it into the elevator.
"Just make it through the date and your conscience will be
cleared." she told herself.

The next
day she waited nervously in her brown peasant skirt and white tunic.
She slid her feet into her flats and jumped when a knock on the door
came. She walked to it and opened it.

"Hey
Gregor, how—"

He shoved
white roses at her and glared at her shoes. "Put on heels. You
look better in heels." he told her as he waited in the hall.

Holly took
off her flats and put on some heels before putting the flowers in a
vase. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes,
I've been ready. Let's get this pity date over with so you can
clear your stupid conscience" Gregor said and he rolled away
without waiting for her. "Hurry up! I want to get back in time for
Saved."

Holly
hurried after him and made it into the elevator before the doors
closed. "You should have waited."

"Bite
me."

"Why are
you so mean?"

"Just
because I don't have a sunny fucking disposition on life doesn't
mean that I'm mean. I'm just angry and depressed."

"Why?"

"What are
you five?"

"Answer
me." she commanded and he raised an intimidating eyebrow. "Please?"

"Because
I don't have a sunny fu—"

"Why are
you really angry and depressed?" Holly interrupted.

"Because
everyone judges me because of this chair and it hurts." Gregor
gritted out and he rolled out of the elevator as the doors opened.
"The restaurant is in walking distance."

"Okay."
she answered.

As they
moved down the sidewalk in silence, there were catcalls. "Hey baby,
what are you doing with that cripple?" asked one guy.

"Why
don't you spend the night with me, a real man. At least I can show
you a good time." said another and she had to quicken her steps to
keep up with Gregor. "Come on baby, don't run away."

"Why
don't you go to them?" Gregor demanded suddenly, stopping. "I
said yes, your conscience should be cleared. Go have a good time."

"I don't
want to." she found herself saying.

"Fine."
Gregor said and she walked next to him. When they finally reached
the restaurant, Gregor was still upset. "Is your conscience clear
now?"

"It's
been cleared since those boys. I'm here because of free will."
she told him icily and the corners of his mouth seemed to turn
upwards almost unnoticeably.

"We're
splitting the bill." he told her.

"Fine."
she replied and he held the door open for her. "Thank you."

"Nice
ass." he told her, gaining the attention of everyone in the lobby.
"You can all stop staring now. She's my date."

"Party of
two?" asked the hostess who was staring hungrily at Gregor.

Holly
didn't like that look and moved into the hostess' line of sight.
"Yes." she said coldly and the hostess got the hint to back off.

As someone
led them to their table, she stared at the back of Gregor's head
and wondered why she had gotten jealous. She couldn't honestly
like him, could she? He was mean and blunt. Those were not
qualities she was looking for in a guy.

The pair
was led to a booth in the back and Gregor slipped out of his chair
and into the booth with ease. Holly moved his chair out of the way
before sitting down. They ordered their drinks, a diet Coke and a
beer, before the waiter disappeared.

As he
studied the wall, she studied his face. He turned his head slightly
so that they locked eyes and he smiled softly. "Can I help you?"
he asked in a voice similar to his smile.

Holly just
shook her head and leaned across the table, dropping a kiss onto his
lips. He didn't respond at first but after coaxing his mouth with
her tongue, he responded. She lifted her hands into his hair and he
pulled the banana clip out of hers. He pulled away fro her moments
later.

"Come sit
by me." he told her with a silent challenge.

She stood
slowly and walked around his chair before sliding into the booth next
to him. "Now what?"

He kissed
her roughly, savagely as if he hadn't had human contact in years
and urged her closer. Frightened at first, she let him do all the
work but as she slowly realized that he was testing her, that he
needed to get everything out of his system. When he finally pulled
away, his face was unreadable and she kissed him tenderly on the
forehead before kissing his lips.

"Thank
you." he said huskily.

"You're
welcome." she replied and the rest of the evening was spent in
silence as they ate. He even paid for her.

As they
walked back to her dorm, she moved behind him and began to push him.
She half-expected him to yell at her but he didn't. They rode in
silence in the elevator as well and didn't speak until they reached
her door.

"Goodnight."
he said softly.

"Good
night." she replied and she kissed him again.

"Can I
call you?" he asked breathlessly when they pulled away from each
other.

"Absolutely."
she answered and she wrote her number on his hand. "I'll see you
tomorrow, I hope."

"You
will. We'll have breakfast together." he told her before nodding
and rolling away.

As soon as
Holly sat on her bed, her phone rang. "Hello?"

"Is it
too soon to call?" Gregor asked and she smiled.

"No."
she replied.

"Good."
he said and that was the start of something beautiful.

The next
morning, Stephanie and Megan were shocked to find Holly making out
with Gregor on the grass near a tree. They were laughing in between
kissing and so completely involved in each other. So much for her
being asexual they decided and went about the day, seeing Holly and
Gregor everywhere together.

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